States spend average of N3,483 per person on healthcare in 2024 – BudgIT
...achieves 62% of ₦1.32tn budget
Nigerian states are falling short of meeting the healthcare needs of their citizens, spending an average of N3,483 per person on health in 2024, according to a new report by civic tech organisation BudgIT.
The 2025 State of States Report found that none of Nigeria’s states spent up to N10,000 per capita, while only Lagos, Bayelsa, Edo, Abia, Kwara, Niger, and Delta recorded per capita spending above N5,000.
An analysis of the report shows that across the federation, states budgeted a total of N1.32 trillion for health in the 2024 fiscal year but were only able to spend N816.64 billion. This represents an overall budget performance of 61.9 percent, highlighting a persistent gap between health funding plans and actual implementation.
The report notes that, on average, state-level budget performance stood at 60.7 percent, with only seven states; Yobe, Gombe, Ekiti, Lagos, Edo, Delta and Bauchi, implementing more than 80 percent of their health budgets. Yobe State recorded the highest level of performance at 98.2 percent, but the report cautions that its total health expenditure was only N13.24 billion, ranking 24th among the states in absolute terms.
Despite some improvements in budget implementation, BudgIT warns that low per capita health spending underscores how poorly Nigerian states are investing in public health. The average spend of N3,483 per person is described as “dismal”, particularly when compared to education spending, where per capita allocations are somewhat higher.
The report, however noted that health budget typically falls within the same range as state-level education expenditure, underscoring a persistent pattern of underperformance on soft infrastructure.
BudgIT noted states increased fortunes due to the increased federal allocations whivh has translated into human capital investment.
BudgIT’s latest findings add to experts concerns that despite higher revenues, most Nigerian states remain reluctant to translate fiscal gains into tangible improvements in human capital sectors like health and education,sectors that are critical to long-term economic growth and poverty reduction.
Although healthcare financing is a shared responsibility between federal and state governments, with federal contributions through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and other interventions, BudgIT said the spending pattern at the subnational level indicates that states must channel a larger share of their earnings into health services.
The findings come against the backdrop of a fragile healthcare system struggling with dilapidated infrastructure, brain drain, and rising out-of-pocket costs for citizens. Experts have long argued that underfunding at the subnational level exacerbates inequities in healthcare access, especially in rural and underserved areas.
